Embers
by Kid Jeevas
Summary: He's done whatever Giovanni asks, cutting down everyone in his path without batting an eye. But his eyes may finally be opened as he must do the impossible; capture the legendary dogs. A dark AU Rocket fic with my OT, Ember Dresden. Not my first fic, but I've never tried Pokemon on this scale before. I appreciate constructive feedback.
1. Prologue

**A quick introductory note from the author:**

**Hey, wazzup? I'm on my way to getting back into writing actual stories. This is…well this is the result of a pokecraze that doesn't seem to be letting up. I've never written a pokefic before, so this may be a little…tumultuous at times. It will be a bit darker than what is expected in Pokemon, a little more realistic (you know besides the…magical monsters who can conjure different elements to use in battle and whatnot). It's really a Rocket fic more than anything.**

**As this story features my OT as the main character, this would be considered AU. There are elements in the plot that follow some of the anime and games, but mostly, I'm making this up as I go along. **

**Without further ado, prepare for trouble; this could be a bumpy ride! I sincerely hope you enjoy my brains' vomit.**

_Embers_

_Prologue_

"Thunderbolt."

Yellow struck the purple dawn, the softly spoken order nearly drowned with the crack of its' effect. As quickly as the lightning struck, it was gone, tiny sparks traveling along the cool mist left in the clearing. The charged air soon fizzled out, leaving only silence.

The squirtle who had received the attack fell to the ground, unconscious from the unimaginable pain the lightning had inflicted.

"Turpin!" cried its' trainer as he hurried toward his fallen comrade. The boy fell to the ground, not daring to touch its body in fear of inflicting more damage. Shock and despair shone through his eyes as he looked up at his adversary. He couldn't stop his young voice from quivering when he asked, "W-what…Who are you?"

His fear seemed to amuse the dark man across the clearing. With a humorless smirk, he turned from the distraught boy and still-steaming squirtle, the red 'R' on his side glaring through the half light of down. He slowly faded into the trees, yet his pokemon, a large, catlike creature, stood glaring at the boy as if daring him to move.

"Ari," came the quiet command through the darkness. She, the pokemon, growled deeply once more before also slipping into the trees behind her master. With one last glint of her yellow eyes, the master and pokemon disappeared.

The boy was left alone in the clearing, fear and awe at the power he had witnessed paralyzing him. As the first rays of sun dared to finally touch the clearing, he ran with his injured squirtle as fast as he could.

As he ran, he swore he would never sneak out at night again, purely out of fear of ever encountering that powerful, dark trainer.

_End Prologue_

**Please review and tell me what you think of it so far! The official chapter one should be up later today. **


	2. Coming Home

**AN:**

**I will be including snippets of Ember's past at the beginning of every chapter, since obviously, no one knows who he is. **

**Please enjoy as the next chapter still needs to be finished so I don't know when I'll be uploading it; hopefully within the week. **

_Embers_

_Rain was the most common force of nature surrounding the manor. Rain would gather in puddles, the puddles would run into gutters, and the gutters would empty into large ponds. Sometimes it rained so much, the entire estate was surrounded by water. With the rain came dark skies and noise._' The only aspect of rain worth mentioning is lightning.'

_A dark-haired youth sat at the large bay window, his green eyes fixed upon the cloudy expanse of sky. Droplets from the storm pattered against the window pane, distorting his fair reflection. His small fingers unconsciously caressed the long forgotten book in his lap, so intent was he on watching the storm. In the corner of the library, not far from where he sat, stood a young maid. She kept silent as she watched her charge, her eyes betraying her absolute boredom. Suddenly, the room lit up as lightning crashed outside, causing her to jump. The boy at the window stayed still and smiled slightly; at her childishness or the lights in the sky, she did not know which. _

_As her racing heart calmed, she managed a timid smile. Her voice was shrill as she asked,_

"_Would…would you like to go jump in some puddles, young master? You…seem to like the rain."_

"_I hate water."_

_The response was not incensed with hatred or emotions of any sort. It was simply a statement in an unusually mature voice from such a little boy no older than five or six. _

_The young maid shuddered. _'He is _so _creepy…'

_Despite her misgivings, she halfheartedly persisted._

"_Ah, well…w-well I'm sure there's a bunch of water pokemon scattered around the grounds…"_

"_I hate water," he repeated as he turned away from the window. The maid felt herself go numb as he fixed his pale green eyes on hers. "Thus, I'm not really interested in water pokemon."_

_With this, he continued out the door of the library, leaving her behind. She was disappointed, professionally, that she had not been able to please her young charge. However, when the feeling in her limbs at last returned to her, she realized how relieved she was to be free of his presence for the afternoon._

_With one last shiver, she took to her job, straightening cushions, clearing the window of breath marks. She picked up the book the boy had been reading and read the cover; _Exploiting Potential: A Guide for True Masters. _Her curiosity peaked; she checked the synopsis on the back cover. After a few sentences, she admitted she couldn't understand a word the author had written on this subject. Somehow, it seemed perfectly ordinary for the young master to know all about it._

_Shaking her head as she continued to clean, she couldn't help but think Ember Dresden sure was a strange boy._

Chapter One: Coming "Home"

The manor had barely changed since it had been built over forty years ago. His father had commissioned an architect to build the house into the rock of Mount Silver, terraces and towers peeking out from the cliff-face. The lawn and gardens spread out in front of the mountain, creating spiraling paths between greenery and flowers. Fountains and sculptures dotted the lush landscaping. The entire estate was truly beautiful, and he had an intense appreciation for beauty. _Hm, _he thought. _ As long as it's not raining. _

As he entered the main foyer, his luxray, Ari, at his side, he quickly concluded had changed since he had last been at the manor. A few of his fathers possessions were missing, some new pieces of ancient art hanging in the halls; the only signs Lawrence Dresden III had ever come home. These reminders of absence served as minor annoyances.

An elderly butler approached the young man as he continued through to the stairs with Ari. In his hand was a silver platter topped with a thick card, _Ember _signed on the top with an elegant flourish. The man took the proffered note with an effortless, graceful swipe when the butler reached him.

"Thank you, Alan," came his quiet, cultured tone as they climbed the great staircase.

The butler, Alan, bowed. "Most welcome, Master Ember."

~~X~~

He strode to his room quickly, eager to change out of his uniform and into something more comfortable. As he walked, he unclipped the chain hanging from his belt, the three pokeballs attached to it clinking against each other.

"I release each of you."

The three contained pokemon simultaneously emerged in a flash of red. Siphon, the persian, immediately joined Ari's side, nudging her gently. She growled slightly in response to the attention.

A large arcanine walked on Ember's other side, quick to lick his trainer's cheek and nuzzle his hair. Snorting softly, he ducked the dog's snout. "Enough, Shizu, I feel disgusting. Sieme," he addressed the ninetails trailing after them," you are welcome to return to Flicker; we'll be staying for a while."

With a quiet bark, Sieme left them in search of his pup.

At last, the human and three pokemon came to an extravagant door. Ember pushed it open hardly breaking his stride and immediately went to his closet. Shizu rolled his eyes at his trainers obsessive need for clothing as he walked out onto the balcony. Siphon urged Ari to rest on the mat in the corner, against her insistence to check the room. This was routine to her now, to inspect wherever the group stayed for any bugs, wiretaps, or hidden rooms where unknown subjects could be in wait. Their master lead a dangerous life.

She gave into Siphons pleas once she was positive they were safe and they rested together on the mat.

Ember emerged from the closet in slacks, a dress shirt, vest, and a green tie which, he had on good authority, brought out his eyes. Oddly enough, he was much more comfortable in these formal clothes than he ever was in the long sleeved shirt under the t-shirt he was required to wear for work. He would never admit it, but he truly loved clothes.

Remembering the note, he picked the small card off the floor, and went to join Shizu on the balcony. The dog pokemon raised his head in greeting as the young man settled comfortable against him. He muttered the note aloud,

"Gone again to Orange Islands; there may be surviving artifacts. Would appreciate it if you would join on my next voyage. Believe you would find it interesting. Your father, Lawrence III." His brow furrowed under his dark bangs, a look of mild contempt forming as he crushed the card in his hand. "Fool." He tossed the ball of paper into the air, a quick jet of flame incinerating it immediately.

With a huff, Ember leaned further into Shizu's soft fur. His room was set in such a position that the cool spring breeze carried the scent of roses and razz berries as it tussled his hair. He looked out over the grounds as he slouched, and he was just barely able to make out the nearest estate, miles away, as it poked through the trees. As a child he had found it incredible that their home faced this opulent paradise while the manor's "back door" opened into a small garden leading out into Celadon City. He liked the contrast.

"He didn't even bother with full sentences, Shizu," Ember growled. "Once would think he would at least sit down and write an actual letter, seeing as it's been, oh, I don't know…_three years_ since I've seen him."

Shizu made a deep sound of agreement in his chest, nuzzling Ember's dark hair. With a dark sigh, the young man laid his head back and closed his eyes, intent on not caring about Lawrence and his constant absence. Even as a child, he was aware he had a father that was often gone. He could not remember a time when Lawrence had tried to be fatherly to him; there were no pleasant memories of running into his father's embrace, no family dinners, no playing catch on the lawn (he tried to imagine Lawrence playing catch; it was impossible). He forced his breath to become shallow as he pictured his father in his mind; he could see the ever-present smug smirk, the perfectly pressed suit, the waving bangs he kept obnoxiously long. But what incensed Ember the most about Lawrence was his eyes; it was the only part of him that truly resembled his father. Those eyes staring out from his father's face bared down on him, making him feel wholly insignificant. They showed him all of what he could never achieve, of what was forever lost to him. But the worst part about his father's omnipresent gaze was how truly unworthy it made Ember feel. Every glance reminded him that the wealth he inherited was not truly his; it reminded him that he owed Lawrence…everything.

A burning emotion ran through his mind. It's name was hate and it was as comforting as it was damning. Hate was something Ember knew very well; but it did him no good. He banished all thoughts of his father, and all the emotions that came with them, to the back of his mind. There, he locked him tightly in a chest and refused to allow them out.

He opened his eyes. The sun was going down; he must have fallen asleep. On the grounds, he could make out flames and assumed it was Sieme training Flicker before Ember found it prudent to evolve the tiny vulpix into a ninetails. There was little he could do while Flicker was so young, but Ember allowed it as the training had proved helpful so far.

Shizu suddenly raised his head and growled. Ember followed his gaze; the neighboring estate had lit up its garden. _Another party, I presume._

With a grunt, Ember stood, his hand patting the arcanine's head.

"Let's go get something to eat. Just because we have a few days before the next mission there's no need to spend them hungry. "

_End Chapter One_

**So there's chapter one. I am enjoying this way too much. Yes, nothing happened, I know this. But, character development is important; thought you'd like to know a little more about Ember, is all. **

**Just so everyone is aware, Lawrence III was the collector in **_**Pokemon 2000. **_**No, they never mentioned his last name being Dresden, I just assigned that. They hardly ever give last names in Pokemon, it's a bit annoying….**

**Review please, and I will promise to have the next chapter out as soon as possible. Thank you very much! **


	3. Our Friends Choose Us

**AN:**

**And we are back! With James! Everyone should love James!**

**This chapter is the start of actual plot, so things should start happening now!**

_Embers_

"_Master Ember! We must be leaving!"_

_Young Ember was sullen as he descended the stairs to the main foyer. Alan, his hair retaining some brown amongst the grey still, took the book bag from Ember's should as he walked the boy to the waiting limousine._

"_Cheer up, young master; perhaps you'll enjoy your lesson with another pupil," Alan said as he held open the door. Ember did not respond as he hopped into the leather interior. With a sigh, the butler sat the book bag next to the boy and stepped back as the car pulled away._

_The elderly man turned back to the manor, hoping the other boy at the young master's lesson would be his salvation._

~~X~~

_Ember couldn't help but notice as he was taken up the drive each of the hedges lining the gravel path; they were cut into fanciful replicas of pokemon, colorful lanterns hanging from extended branches. He found them utterly ridiculous and fanciful. He continued to stare disdainfully out the window as they continued up the unnecessarily long driveway. When the car at last stopped, it was in front of not one, but two, large manor houses. As compared to the elegance of the Dresden estate, this particular family seemed to spend their wealth pointlessly, and for some reason this irritated Ember more so than he already was. _

_When Alan had told him the tutor could not come to the house due to some personal emergency, Ember had not realized that it would require him to meet some other boy and have his lesson with him. He never liked the tutor on his own; having a classmate, someone he was forced to socialize with, promised to make the whole experience worse. _

_The driver opened Ember's door for him and the boy stepped onto the gravel, pulling his book bag onto his shoulder. After schooling his expression into something less contemptuous, he climbed the steps of the larger manor. A huge man stepped out of the house, waiting for him as he held open the door._

"_Welcome, Master Dresden," the butler bowed. "Master James is in the study awaiting you. Would you like assistance with your bag?"_

_Ember shook his head, rather intimidated by the gigantic butler._

"_Very well, I shall show you to the study."_

_Without further ado, the man picked Ember up, tucked him under his arm, and sprinted inside._

'Dear Arceus, help me!' _was the boy's only thought as he clutched his bag to his chest in fear. _

~~X~~

_In no time at all, Ember found himself deposited in front of large double doors which led, he presumed, to the study. With a quick "young master," and a bow, the butler was gone. He straightened his clothes, disgruntled at being manhandled. _

_With a deep breath, he pushed open the doors. He was as confident as a six year old possibly could as he strode to the middle of the room. He stopped in front of two desks facing a chalkboard; beside one desk sat a plush cushion. With a curious look at the adornment, Ember turned his gaze to the chairs and tables decorating the corners and windows. He found it extremely odd that a room called a study would not have more than two bookshelves._

_Suddenly, one of the curtains…sneezed?_

"_Hush, Growlie!" It spoke as well!_

_Upon further observation, Ember noticed a pair of shined shoes poking out from underneath. Beside the shoes were two paws and the curtain began moving more and more. With another sneeze and a gasp, the curtain was suddenly pulled away as a growlithe rolled out and a boy with lavender hair chased after it. _

"_Growlie, no!" the boy stage whispered. He stopped suddenly when his eye caught Ember standing a few feet away. "Oh!" He stood up straight. "Um…Hi, I-I'm James…"_

_Ember could only stare at the growlithe rolling on the floor._

_James blinked. "Um…I didn't mean to scare you…"_

"_You did not _scare _me," Ember snapped, pulling his eyes from the pokemon. "I was merely wondering why this pokemon would be in the house…with you."_

_Faced with the other boy's glare, James straightened further, and stuttered, "W-well…h-he's mine!"_

_Shocked, Ember took a step back. His eyes flashed between James and the pokemon, hardly comprehending what was said. "_You _have a pokemon? How? You're…just a child!"_

"_Kids can have pokemon, too…" James said, concerned. When the other boy didn't move for several seconds, he slowly moved forward and placed his hand on his shoulder. Ember flinched slightly at the contact but met James' eyes with a hesitant respect and curiosity._

"_So…how did you get him?" Ember asked quietly._

"_He was a present!" James happily replied. He took the taller boy's arm and led him to the desks, cheerfully regaling to his new friend how he received his beloved Growlie. _

_It was the start of a rather beautiful friendship._

~~X~~

Chapter 2: Our Friends Choose Us

The morning was still fresh when Dresden Manor received its' visitors, and Ember was none too thrilled. He was still tired from his journey the day before, thus in no mood to entertain the rich socialites his father surrounded himself with. After Alan informed him of his duties as a host, the sleepy trainer crawled out of bed and dressed quickly in a green dress shirt and a black vest and tie.

Ari at his side, as per usual, Ember entered the main foyer to greet the inane people who found it pertinent to demand his attention at seven o' clock in the morning. Upon observation, however, there was no one _to_ great.

Just as he was about to call for Alan and demand an explanation for his unnecessary wake-up call, two voice rang out,

"Prepare for trouble!"

"Make it double!"

With a raised eyebrow, Ember watched in mild annoyance as two people dressed in tattered white uniforms strutted to the bottom of the main staircase.

"To protect the world from devastation," the female, of slender build with long red hair, proclaimed.

"To unite all peoples within our nation," continued a man with lavender hair.

In a moment of clarity, Ember realized at last who had dared disturb his sleep. Sighing, his eyebrow still cocked, and crossing his arms over his chest, he waited for the two Rocket agents to finish their…introduction.

"To denounce the evils of truth and love." The redhead took on a sexier pose.

"To extend our reach to the stars above!" The man held a rose aloft towards the ceiling.

…_Really? _Ember couldn't help but snort at their degrading antics. _They truly have no idea how ridiculous they look._ At his snort, the man looked up at him, his performance ending abruptly.

"Jessie!"

"…Ember!"

The woman, Jessie, glared at her partner. "_Your _name, you idiot!"

The man was already leaping up the steps towards Ember, a huge grin on his face.

"No, Jessie, it's _Ember_! You remember, my old chum! He was in training with us…well for a short while," he said over his shoulder. He was gasping when he finally reached the top of the stairs. "Ember! It's been forever!"

Ember couldn't help the smile that fought its way to his face. "Hello, James."

With a chuckle, James embraced Ember in a short, one-armed hug. "Where have you been?" he asked. "It's been ages!"

"It has only been a year or so," Ember sniffed. "You know very well I've been on missions for the most part; I just got back from Hoenn yesterday."

"Okay, can we stop now with the whole 'my chum, so-and-so," Jessie came up from behind James, Meowth trailing behind her, gasping unnecessarily. "Why are _you_ here, Mr. _Executive_?"

Raising one of his eyebrows at the use of his rank, he replied, "Why, I _live _here, Miss. _Agent_."

He could easily imagine her jaw dropping to the floor.

Her face turning bright red, she asked incredulously, "How could you possibly live here? You executives don't get paid _that_ much, do you?"

A muscle twitched in Ember's jaw as he clenched his teeth. Irritated, he bit out, "It was…inherited."

Acutely aware of Ember's annoyance, James attempted to diffuse the situation. "Well, it's so nice to see you again, where's Shizu? It's too bad I don't have Growlie with me, I'm sure they'd love to see each other again…" James rambled.

With a sigh and furrowed brow, Ember smoothed down his vest and motioned for the two Rocket agents to follow him. "Shizu is asleep. Come, I may as well feed you since you're here. What happened to your clothes, by the way?"

"Ah…it's actually quite the funny story…See, there's this pikachu…"

The two men continued catching up as Jessie and Meowth trailed behind them.

"Who's dis guy?" Meowth whispered.

Jessie huffed. "An old friend of James'. They grew up together, something about them being thick-as-thieves, their pokemon played together, all that jazz." Her scowl deepened. "He went through the Rocket training faster than you can say lugia, too."

Meowth smirked as only a cat could as he teased, "Someone sounds jealous."

A punch was swiftly delivered to the side of the talking pokemon's face.

~~X~~

After James had explained that a pikachu had attacked them with a thundershock, Ember had instructed Alan to fetch clothes for James and his companions, and after they had changed, a table was laid out. He couldn't help but watch in disgusted fascination as the three stuffed their faces with as much food as possible at a time. Glancing at the table, he hoped absently that there would be enough food.

As he was caught in his musings, Shizu entered the dining hall. Upon seeing James, the arcanine barked and lathered the lavender-haired man in saliva.

"Ah! Shizu! Hello to you, too…" James said laughingly.

Alan followed shortly after, a note on a silver platter in hand. The butler offered the note to his lordly master, bowing out of the room as soon as it was taken. As the trio continued their antics, Shizu taunting Meowth with puffs of fire, Ember read the short missive. His face grew darker before he looked up with a somber expression. James noticed his friend's serious demeanor.

"Ember? What is it?"

The executive stood as he replied, "Giovanni has sent word; I must be on my way to Vermillion."

"But you just got back, didn't you?" James asked, crestfallen that he could not spend more time with his friend. "Why so soon?"

"Do you actually think I would question my superior?" Ember responded, an elegant eyebrow raised. "It doesn't matter why; I must go." Addressing Jessie and Meowth, "You may stay as long as you like. I do not know when I shall be returning."

With that, Ember retired to his room, intent on packing immediately for his journey.

~~X~~

"And he's…gone!" Meowth exclaimed as he looked through a pair of binoculars.

"Great, let's go!"

Jessie and Meowth each grabbed a pack filled with food and other necessities as they hurried towards the door.

"Wait! Jessie…" James whined as he was dragged behind them, "I truly don't think this is a good idea…Ember hates it when people budge in on his business!"

With an annoyed huff, Jessie rounded back on her partner. "Don't you want to know what the higher-ups are up to? For all you know…it could be something…dangerous." A lightbulb suddenly went on in Jessie's head. "You would want to be there to help your friend if he were in trouble, wouldn't you?" she asked sweetly as she pat him on the head.

"Yea," Meowth chimed in. "We'll just tag along; fo' back up and t'ings."

James scratched the back of his head as he replied. "Well…I suppose from that standpoint…"

Jessie smiled quickly, grabbing James by the hand and pulling him along again. "Great, now we better go if we don't want to get too far behind Mr. Executive!"

_End chapter_

**I love Team Rocket so much. They're just….incredibly fun to work with! **

**Please review! If you do, you get a hug from James! (who is just adorable)**


	4. Time

A**N:**

**I have returned to the land of Pokemon! Sorry, it took a while…BUT I'm back and fully immersed! Now, as I said before, this fic is a bit darker than what we have come to expect from Pokemon, but I think you'll enjoy it if you're hungry for something a little more realistic. So, yes, Ember and other members of Team Rocket **_**do**_** have weapons! I mean c'mon, they're criminals, it makes sense…**

**I personally like long chapters, but I can understand why some people don't. This one's the longest so far and I'm looking for the chapter length to be about this from now on. Things are heating up a little, getting pretty serious in here. **

**I'm pretty excited about it.**

~X~

_Embers_

_Alan had barely finished speaking when the small boy took off in a sprint. With a sad smile and quiet chuckle, the graying butler followed slowly after his young charge. He hated setting the boy up for disappointment._

~X~

_He couldn't remember the last time he had been so eager, Ember decided as he jumped the last few steps of the marble staircase. Nearing the ornate doors to the dining hall, he slowed to a walk as his enthusiasm faltered. Suddenly nervous, he fiddled with his fine vest and coat, staring at the door in trepidation. Timidly, he knocked with bated breath. Upon the quiet bid of entrance from without, his small hands trembled as he pushed open the door and peeked his head in cautiously._

"_Ember, what on earth are you doing? Come here." _

_Embarrassed at his childish shyness, the raven haired boy tiptoed fully inside, his eyes seeking the owner of the smooth voice. There at the head of the long table sat his father._

_Six year old Ember laid eyes on Lawrence Dresden III for the first time in nearly a year. _

"_Hello, son," Lawrence spoke in his quiet tone, smiling serenely. _

_As Ember approached his outstretched hand, he realized Lawrence had changed very little. His hair was still an odd lime green, his eyes an even paler shade identical to his son's. The child had expected drastic differences, and this regularity puzzled and disturbed him on a level he could not yet understand. He shook his father's much larger hand. "Alan has told me your lessons are going well," Lawrence continued as Ember stayed standing. "I hear your classmate has a pokemon of his own."_

_The boy resisted his urge to shuffle his feet. "Yes, but…he didn't catch it himself."_

"_First pokemon are rarely caught," the older man said with a smile._

_Looking up sharply, Ember took a deep breath. "Father…I will be seven in two weeks. I would like to catch my own pokemon!" _

_Lawrence only chuckled as he stood. Ember felt his heart sink. "I had a feeling you would want one. You know I had wondered when you'd decide to make something of yourself. I'm proud that you're starting so early." Alan had appeared in the doorway holding a wooden crate. Lawrence reached inside and presented the small creature to Ember._

_The pokemon Lawrence held aloft looked at him sleepily, as if it had been disturbed from its nap._

"…_What is it?" the boy asked, having never seen a pokemon like it on the manor grounds._

"It_, as you so eloquently put it," his father said dryly, "is a shinx, a pokemon native to the Sinnoh region. As I was there on business, I thought I'd bring her home with me." He plopped the awakening shinx into Ember's arms. "She's yours now; to start your…collection."_

_The boy stood holding the cub in his arms, utterly speechless. This was not how he had wanted it to go; his father was supposed to give him a poke ball, some sound advice, and then take him out onto the grounds. He was supposed to use his own ingenuity and ambition to catch his very first pokemon. _

_He was supposed to catch his first pokemon as his father looked on in pride._

_The shinx stared into Ember's eyes and suddenly, it didn't quite matter that Lawrence had not used this opportunity to bond with his son. The pokemon slowly put her paw to Ember's cheek and the boy couldn't help the smile that lighted his face, his eyes bright with understanding._

"_I'll call you Ari," he whispered as he reverently cuddled the shinx. "And we will be together from now on."_

~X~

Chapter 3: Time

Having mapped the shortcut from the manor grounds to Celadon in his early teenage years, it took Ember only a little over half a day to arrive in the hotel's cellar. It was a simple matter of climbing the stairs that led to the back and picking his way through the alley to begin on the bustling city streets.

Stalking through the city in a Team Rocket uniform may have seemed outrageous to some people, but he was in no danger; Ember and most other members were relatively safe in the large cities. The large snarling luxray at his heel never endeared him to pedestrians, but she always made traveling through such places much easier. People tended to steer clear of the dark duo.

It did not take long for Ember to walk from the hotel to the route leading to Saffron. He found it somewhat ridiculous that Celadon and Saffron were considered separate cities when only a brief suburb stood between them. Instead of immediately heading south, however, Ember stepped on the road to Cerulean. Having left Siphon and Sieme behind, he only carried Shizu on his belt, and he intended to reclaim the pokemon he had left behind to heal.

On his recent trip to Hoenn, Ember had stumbled across a badly injured absol deep within the mountains. The young, cat-like creature had been emaciated, his shaggy fur matted, and the opal atop its head cracked. Pitying the proud beast, Ember had been prepared to end its' suffering. Yet, as he was about to issue Ari the command, the absol had lifted its head and snarled pathetically at the trainer and pokemon. To this, Ember found he could not destroy the creature who still wished to live. Thus, he executive captured him and upon returning to Kanto, had left him to be nursed b a kindly old woman most called the day care lady. The day care lady's name was actually Rose, and he had been acquainted with her since adolescence. He much preferred to seek her help, someone he trusted, rather than the overrated pokemon centers scattered around.

Trudging up the hill leading to Rose's home, he could see several pokemon grazing in the fenced in field. The door to the small stone cottage was propped open, allowing the cool spring breeze to fill the house. Ari stayed close to his side as he entered, wary of the strange pokemon she knew roamed outside. Seeing no one, he leaned against the service desk, crossing his arms over his chest, as he waited.

A chime-like laugh from the open window caught his attention, and he felt his heart speed up as he went totally still.

Illuminated in the orange glow of the sunset was a girl. With her long russet curls and bright hazel eyes, she looked barely twenty, yet her movements spoke of a grace learned over many years. Everything from the gentle curve of her neck to the lifting of her arm to pat the ponyta's head beguiled the Rocket executive completely.

She was beautiful.

"Well, you sure are cutting it close, aren't you?"

Ember was ripped from his trance by Rose's gruff, wizened drawl. She stood in the back doorway, wrinkled and slightly stooped with age, yet kept healthy by her days outside. Flustered at being caught ogling the girl, Ember smoothed his shirt as he cleared his throat. Rose rolled her eyes. "Well, come on outside and let Shizu out. Was just setting out eh table," she called over her shoulder.

"I cannot stay long," he uttered but did at he was told. Following her to a picnic table, he released his arcanine as his gaze was again drawn to the girl, attempting discretion. She was filling troughs for the few ponytas roaming the field, speaking quietly to them as he gave them a pat here and there.

"Sit, Ember, you need fattening," Rose ushered. Snapping his eyes away from the approaching beauty, he slid into the bench by Rose. The girl flashed him a smile as she sat opposite. "Ember, this is Charlotte Meyer. Lotte, Ember Dresden."

"Nice to meet you," Charlotte said, her voice soft and mature. "Your luxray and arcanine are beautiful creatures."

"A pleasure." His reply was clipped for the simple fact that he did not know this girl he suddenly found so interesting.

She looked taken aback, yet before he could feel the guilt for his shortness, he felt Shizu tense beside him and Ari snarled threateningly. He reacted immediately, spinning as he jumped from his seat.

Standing a few meters away was the absol.

The dark opal on its' head remained cracked and it likely always would be, but overall it looked much better; a far cry from the death bed Ember had found it on. Its coat shined snow white in the twilight and the scythe-like horn jutting gracefully from its head glinted with deadly promise. It was a male, Ember could tell now. Slowly, he moved past Ari and Shizu, maintaining contact with its pale gray eyes.

He could hear the crackling of electricity in the air as Ari became more agitated, and he smelled smoke as Shizu tensed; Ember merely lifted a hand behind him. The absol did not move, staring back at him with the same intensity. Ember could see the questions running through his mind; _Will you care for me? Will we be equals? Will you protect me as I will protect you? _All reasonable questions. Yet the tentative hope that shone in its eyes held Ember's attention; it was the same hope that burned in Shizu, the same that consumed he himself as a child. Although dimming as he grew, the man could remember the feeling of a child's hope. He promised to nurture and encourage it as his was not. Looking deeply into the eyes of a creature more than capable of ripping him to shreds, Ember's green depths confidently shone, _yes._

The absol blinked and came forward, ignoring Ari's few warning snarls and the puffs of smoke coming from Shizu's nostrils. He stopped in front of Ember and the man unflinchingly scratched him lightly behind his horn. The pokemon rubbed his snout against his trainer's hand like an over-sized house cat.

Ember raised an eyebrow. "Nawin it is then," he muttered. He gave the absol, now Nawin, one last pat before turning and glancing sharply at his pokemon. They were both much bigger than the adolescent and they knew it. However, he trusted that they would respect his wishes and treat Nawin as family; just as they had all others.

He took his seat and began eating, indifferent to the stares of the women.  
"That seemed a bit over-dramatic," Rose deadpanned.

Ember only threw her a withering look.

~X~

As the meal came to an end, the sun was making its final appearance. Charlotte had not attempted to speak to him again and he had done nothing to prompt her. Nawin was apparently good at making other like him; Shizu treated him as a puppy and Ari had went so far as to pin him to the ground and lick his unruly mane into neatness.

Ember assisted Rose with the dinner plates as Charlotte closed up the house for the night. He was just preparing to leave when Rose suddenly exclaimed, "Oh! Almost forgot, I have something for you." Bustling to the chest against the wall, Charlotte helped the old woman take from it a burlap ball.

"A trainer left some pokemon here and they rolled in with an egg," Charlotte said as Rose took the object from her. Her voice was much cooler than when she had addressed him earlier. "He ended up not wanting it, so he donated it to us."

Rose unwrapped the egg and held the greenish object towards Ember. "I thought instead of paying me for Nawin, you could do my heart good by raising this pokemon. How about it?"

The executive looked between the two of them; one young, one old, yet both idealistically foolhardy.

"I think not." He began pulling out his wallet.

"How…how _dare _you!"

His eyes rose to Charlotte's outraged expression. Her honey-colored eyes flashed as she ranted,

"Rose has done so much for you! Do you have _any_ idea just how badly hurt that absol was when you brought him here? A few more days and he would have _died_! Any sane person would have taken him to a poke center, where there are professionals! But oh no, Mr. Dresden brought his dying pokemon **HERE**! You're lucky Rose knew what to do!" He opened his mouth, but she cut him off, he tirade not quite finished. "And _another_ thing; don't even think about recommending us to your Team Rocket buddies, because they won't get any service here! You Rocket people make me _sick_, the way you walk around as if everything belongs to you. And you have got to be one of the worst! Acting like everything and everyone is beneath you. You'll take on a pokemon with razor sharp claws, but you won't raise this helpless egg! Is that all you care about; what your pokemon can get you? If it is, then _you_, sir, are not fit to have any!"

She was left breathless by the end though she had hardly raised her voice. Stung, his eyes narrowed as he stepped towards her, his tall frame easily towering over her.

"Do not speak," he spat menacingly, "of what you know _nothing_ of!"

Still for only a moment, Charlotte turned and slammed the door to her bedroom without a word.

Rose's hand laid on his shoulder, he eyes warm and calming. "Not many have grown up as fast as you have, my dear one," she said with quiet understanding. "Lotte can't understand your reasons right now; not yet. But time is a healing source. Time takes parts of us away, and time brings parts of us to life. We just need the right sort of guidance." She lifted the egg to Ember's chest and held one of his hands over the warm shell. "And I feel, Ember, that you will need this egg in time."

He didn't need to see her wise, knowing eyes to know he would bow to her request.

"Fine," he sighted. "Though I can't very well carry it under my arm."

"You left your bad, it's in the coat room," the old woman wrapped the egg again in its' burlap. "And Ember?" Pushing the egg into his arms, she held his face between her warm palms. "Nawin wasn't the only one beat up when you came to me. Try not to work yourself too hard, hm?"

With a pat to his cheek, she hugged his stiff body before heading to her own room.

Digging his pack out of the closet, he set the egg inside. Upon opening it, he was happy to find his luxbane; a weapon of his own creation. Ember had learned early in his Team Rocket career that not all battles were between pokemon; more often than not he had to fight them by himself. The luxbane, inspired by Ari, was worn over his clothing, harnessed across his shoulders, and strapped onto his right arm. It ended in a glove with electrical pads on each of the fingers and knuckles that delivered a powerful charge to whatever foe that happened to be on the receiving end of his ire. He once managed to frighten off a nidoking with the luxbane alone.

Oddly enough, he always felt better about seeing Giovanni when he was wearing the luxbane…

~X~

Vermillion City's street lights served as his only guide as he picked his way through tight alleys. A nondescript door opened at his brisk approach. The grunt inside yelped when Ari snarled at him. She looked quite pleased with herself at that, Ember noted.

The elevator he stepped into was obviously much newer than the rest of that floor. As it sped the duo to the top floor, Ember flexed his hand, now encased in the familiar weight of the luxbane. His arm began moving before the door managed to open fully. As it did, he swung his fist through the widening gap just as another entered from the opposing side. The hand passed him by, but he felt his knuckles make contact with flesh, the crunching cartilage punctuated by a grunt of pain.

"Good evening, Surge," Ember muttered as he smoothly stepped past the large blonde man outside the elevator. Ari growled in dislike and the muscle-y figure glared back as he held his bleeding nose.

Ember ducked quickly as he walked further into the lavish room, missing the taught, clear wire that had been level with his neck. As he passed it, he touched it with the tip of his luxbane-clad finger, electricity funning through the line instantly. Consequently, in what had previously been empty space a man appeared, flashing yellow before falling to the floor.

"You've already tried that one, Koga."

A woman sat on the white couch in the middle of the room. He took the chair opposite her. She giggled at him. "Still not falling for their tricks?"

"Hm. None of you have managed to trick me, Sabrina. I'd prefer, however, that you allow the room to return to its natural state." He glared at her.

She pouted. "You're no fun, Ember."

A desk suddenly appeared, free of the psychic illusion. The chair behind it was turned to face out the wall-length window, a head of brown hair visible from behind. Having recovered from their injuries, Koga and Surge joined them in the circle of furniture. The four executives waited in silence, unwilling to disturb the brooding man at the desk.

"My friends," the man said at last, "I grow weary of hiding behind crime as an excuse for power. We all want power, do we not?" He paused as if waiting for an answer; the executives did not make a sound. "Of course we do. That is why we are here; that is why you joined Team Rocket." The man stood from his chair and slowly made his way around the large oak desk. His dark suit made him look pale and his profile suggested foreign origins, yet no one would ever tell this man such things.

One did not tell Giovanni anything unless it was of vital importance. One was only meant to listen.

"I think we can all agree, however," their boss continued, "that power is infinitely difficult to come by if parts of an organization keep making stupid mistakes." He made a motion towards the window; outside, on a window-washer's pully, stood James, Jessie, and Meowth, obviously attempting to listen to what was being said. Ember pinched the bridge of his nose, eyes closing in annoyance. The pully suddenly slipped down, leaving a trail of suds. "Incidents like _that _are what Team Rocket must cease. This is not an organization of petty thieves; you four know that. Which is why I want you to personally carry out this plan."

Giovanni, holding his executives full attention, pressed a button on his desk, making the lights dim and a projection flicker onto a blank expanse of wall. Three beasts appeared, two of which Ember recognized immediately. "These are the legendary beasts of Kanto; you will find them. Koga, you will go to Celadon and help in the training effort; those in charge are obviously lacking. Surge, you will track and capture Raiku. Sabrina, I want you to go after Entei. And for Suicune, I know Ember will not fail me. You're dismissed."

The four dispersed into the Vermillion City night, yet only one felt a turmoil deep within his chest.

End Chapter

**Whew! That took a while! Well I hope you enjoyed that, next chapter will reveal a few things that may be sorta confusing now. Now if you'll just leave a review, I'd be very happy! **


	5. The First Awakening

**AN:**

**Some explanations! And more James, Jessie, and Meowth. **

**I think out of all the old Team Rocket lieutenants, Koga is probably my favorite. If you've read the manga, you'll know where a lot of the basis for this story is coming from. I'm reading it myself at the moment and I've just really fallen for the old style. This new Black and White crap is nowhere close.**

**The usual disclaimer that says I do not own Pokemon…**

_Embers_

_The two boys were so very different from one another; James, happy and cautious, Ember, moody and ambitious. Yet they needed each other to become stronger. _

_They were standing across from one another on the grounds of the Dresden Estate, delicately groomed trees lining the gravel pathway. Grazing ponyta and rapidash kept clear, but now and again smaller pokemon would poke from behind the bushes, curious of the boys' activities yet not daring to come any closer. Gowlie, James' growlithe, stood at attention while James attempted to encourage him. Not far from them stood Ember and little Ari. Ember's eyes were narrowed in concentration as he recalled tips from numerous books and strategy guides. Ari eyed Growlie cautiously, having met the dog pokemon only once before. _

"_Use leer," he muttered. Ari turned her head to give him a look that clearly said; _are you being serious?_ "So you won't use leer…how about…spark?"_

_The electric pokemon suddenly stood with a growl. Her eyes closed in concentration and her fur began crackling, her body quivering. She charged the second her eyes opened, Growlie not having the chance to dodge out of the way. The growlithe was thrown back a few feet, sliding just behind James who knelt by his injured pokemon. Ari shook herself, mewed cutely, and sat expectantly at Ember's side, looking up at him with large yellow eyes. _

"_Wow!" James exclaimed. Growlie barked, fine thanks to one of the many potions the boys had brought along. "That was amazing! How did you teach her that?"_

_With a smirk, Ember bent down to pet the preening shinx's head. "You just have to know how to tap into a pokemon's abilities."_

_James smiled brightly as he approached. "That's so cool…maybe you could help me with Grow-"_

_A loud noise not far from the children shot through the air. Some shouts and a pokemon's roar followed before all became silent once again._

"_W-what _was_ that?" James whimpered from behind Ember._

_The taller boy thought as he looked in the direction of the noise. "That's where the warehouse is…Father must be storing something from his trip in there again…" he thought out loud. Impulsively, he began striding toward the storage unit. "Let's go look."_

"_W-what?" James squawked. "Ember! Wait!"_

_~X~_

"_E-Ember, I don't think we should be here…"_

"_Shush, I've almost got the door unlocked…" With a click, the door swung open silently. A satisfied smirk lighted Ember's face as he motioned for James to follow him into the warehouse. Whatever people had been there beforehand had vacated and the interior was dark. The boys felt their way along crates and boxes containing priceless pieces of art, yet both were too young to care about such things. _

_A sudden snarl pierced the silence, and James yelped as he latched onto Ember's arm. Ember shot him a look before pulling forward, too curious to avoid going after whatever had made the noise. The pokemon followed cautiously behind, alert eyes looking out in the darkness. _

_They soon came out off the labyrinth of crates and were faced with a solitary looking cage in the middle of the floor. Two glowing red eyes glared out from the pokemon inside. _

"_Ember…" James whispered, tugging slightly on his shirt sleeve, "w-we should go. This thing looks scary…"_

_Ember didn't reply. Pulling himself away from his trembling friend, he edged closer to the trapped creature. It growled softly, but made no move to strike the boy._

"_W-what is it?" James had shuffled to stand behind him. _

_Ember's eyes widened as the pokemon began to take form in the darkness. "It's…it's an entei!"_

"_What's that?" James asked innocently._

"_They're legendary…" Ember whispered in awe. "Said to be born each time a volcano erupts…but…what is one doing in my father's warehouse?"_

_The entei growled again, nudging at the bars of its cage. Each time it came close to touching them, however, a blue mist would enshroud it making the bars themselves impossible to touch. _

"_It can't get out…" Ember murmured._

"_Th-that's not right!"_

_Ember raised his eyebrows questioningly at James. The smaller boy stood with his fists clenched, his eyes determined. "We need to free it!"_

"…_Why?" the darker boy asked sarcastically. _

_James blinked as he gaped at his friend. "Why?! Well…well can't you see it wants out?"_

"_Yes…" Ember crossed his arms over his chest. "But it's in my father's warehouse so he must have a good reason for keeping it. It's probably just another addition to his collection." His brow furrowed thoughtfully. "Although, I've never known him to collect pokemon…"_

"_Ember…" the lavender-haired boy looked at him, astonished. "Pokemon aren't things to be collected…they're supposed to be your friends."_

_Puzzled, he turned his attention back to the cage. "You would want to be friends with that beast?"_

"_Well…no offense," he assured the entei, "but no, I wouldn't…it's scary!" He shuddered. "But you said it yourself; it's a legendary. Don't you think maybe it was meant to stay a legend?"_

"_Hm…" he thought for a moment. "I suppose…I do like mysteries."_

"_So we'll save it?!" James exclaimed._

_Ember rolled his eyes. "I expect so."_

~X~

_A crack suddenly split the air inside the warehouse. The two boys had been at it for hours until finally finding a voltage box and some maintenance equipment. Ari had charge the box while it had been connected to the cage while Growlie used flamethrower on the bars themselves, eventually causing the crack._

_Upon hearing this, the entei charged forward and burst through the bars, the rest of the cage sent flying. With mighty roar, the floor around the beast suddenly erupted, the heated earth bursting through the ceiling. The boys and their pokemon barely missed the falling debris._

"_N-Now what?!" James shouted over the crackling ceiling. _

"_This was your idea; you tell me!" Ember snarled back._

_They clenched their pokemon tightly to their chests, the smoke from the burning roof quickly filling the large room. _

_Suddenly, they were flying! Opening his bright green eyes, Ember realized they had been picked up and carried out of the burning warehouse by…_Suicune?!

_The boy still held Ari tightly, in shock even as the legendary stopped and knelt for the boys to get off of its back. Standing in front of the suicune, looking into its eyes, he was quite suddenly rooted to the spot. He was pulled in, unable to escape the sea-like depths and he began hearing whispers in his head. He tried but he couldn't quite make out the words. Instead, he felt the expression; gratitude. _Is it thanking us for helping the entei? _Ember wondered. The whispers gradually stopped as the pokemon stepped forward, lightly pressing its snout to the boy's forehead. A light as bright as the sun flashed through his mind and he gasped. When he could see again, the legendary was gone and he was alone with an unconscious James and their two pokemon. _

_He sunk to the ground, trembling at the new knowledge he possessed._

~X~

Chapter 4: The First Awakening

He was just approaching the door he had entered through when the grunt watching it timidly held out a cell phone to him. With an eyebrow raised, the dark man put it to his ear.

"Yes?"

"Return to my office; we have more to discuss."

The line cut off. He threw the phone back at the grunt, going back the way he came. Inside the elevator, he put his fingers to the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming on. _I understand the need for secrecy_, he thought, _but waiting until I've nearly left the building is ridiculous. _Ari huffed as she was forced to repeat the motions of earlier, thankfully without interruption from the other lieutenants.

Giovanni wasted no time with theatrics this time as he was standing in the middle of the room. "Ember, my boy!" he cried as he spread his arms. "Sit, sit; I regret I could not speak with you earlier. But," he chuckles darkly, "you understand the value of privacy."

He sits across from his commander, accepting the glass of wine that is offered quietly. After a moment of silence, Giovanni continues,

"I understand that man from the window is your…friend, correct?"

He kept his face carefully blank as he answered. "I consider him one of my better acquaintances."

The leader of Team Rocket laughed. "I'm sure."

Giovanni stood and began pacing slowly across the floor. Ember took a sip of the wine.

"I assume you would like to keep your 'better acquaintances' safe?" He paused, but continued when the dark man was silent. "You should keep better 'better acquaintances,' my friend." He leaned over the sofa and said softly into Ember's ear. "With idiots, it's hard to tell if a horrible accident is truly…a horrible accident."

Ember remained very stiff as Giovanni meandered away.

"That will be all," he said pleasantly. "I look forward to your capture of suicune."

He left, Ari silent at his heal.

~X~

He found the trio nursing their wounds just outside the front of the Rocket building. James' hair was wet and an empty bucket lay beside him; Ember assumed it had fallen on his head. The bush behind Jessie as destroyed and the twigs in her suit proved her landing. Meowth was in decent shape, being small he had most likely clung to his partners to break his fall.

Cold rage plain in his expression, Ember crossed his arms over his chest as he stood in front of them. "What did you hear?"

The three jumped together upon seeing his expression, yet Jessie slid James towards him, as if offering a sacrifice. James gulped and attempted to smile; Ember's face grew darker. His expression drooped.

"W-we didn't actually hear anything," he stuttered.

"We can't fathom what you'd be up to," Jessie chimed in.

"Yea, we didn't see nothin' about those legendary pokemon!"

The two Rocket agents glared at Meowth.

Ember took a deep breath and quietly let it out. "I feel obligated to tell you that you're all in danger." Their attention snapped to him, expressions lax in surprise. "Giovanni grows tired of useless sneaking around and thieving. You're becoming a liability." He turned. "You best shape up, James."

He left them there, and turned into the alley that would lead him to his safe house. Ari rushed in front of him and growled, standing still as she searched the night. His eyes narrowed, he sent out Shizu from his pokeball.

"Shizu, light the alley." With a burst of flame, several clear wires became visible before melting into themselves in the heat. "Koga…"

Erie laughter filled the alley and a face appeared next to Ember's shoulder. "That was sweet of you, warning the terrific trio like that. Wish I had a friend like you," Koga mockingly whined.

"What do you want?"

The ninja pouted. "Not even a hello? Fine." His face morphed into an ugly sneer. "You realize I don't like you very much. And I get that you aren't so into me. But I'd like to make you an offer." He sidled around to face him. "Leave Team Rocket; just…disappear, into the shadows."

Ember raised an elegant eyebrow. "And why would I do such a thing?"

"Because," Koga huffed, "you're too good! You steal the scene away from the rest of us! Come on," he casually leaned against the wall, "don't tell me you aren't better than a group of petty thieves?"

Koga was suddenly sent to the ground, five hundred volts of electricity running through his body.

"Do you not listen to Giovanni?" Ember tightened the straps of the luxbane on his arm. "This is no longer a simple crime organization. Besides," he continued down the alley, "I quite like outshining you."

And the dark Rocket executive did indeed disappear into the dark.

End Chapter

…**I felt like that was really long, but looking back, it's shorter than the other one…Must be because of all the information in here! I hope you enjoyed, please leave a review!**


	6. Unexpected Change

**AN:  
I KNOW I'M A HORRIBLE PERSON AND IT'S BEEN WAY TOO LONG. But here's the next chapter X)**

_Embers_

_Nine year old Ember was training with Ari in the far cornered gardens of the manor when his now luxio pricked her ears in the air. She heard snarling and barking not far from where they were and became curious. _

_He was pulled out of his book on strategy by Ari tugging at the hem of his fine jacket. Having read that pokemon had more attuned senses than humans, he didn't question before following her into the forestry. It wasn't long before he too heard the skirmish. _

_The young boy had never witnessed a true battle before, so he was cautious; he hid himself in the brush surrounding a small rocky clearing and peaked through the leaves. _

_What he saw was a small pack of growlithe ganging up on a larger member of the same species. Instead of the dark eyes the others displayed, his were bright blue, and his ears were more pointed and totally black. The fluff on his head was a shade greyer than the others as well; he was obviously out-casted by his pack for these abnormalities. _

_The larger growlithe was limping and his fur had been bloodied by bites the others had inflicted, but he still growled and snapped when they got too close. He was backed up against the cliff face, and tiny jets of flame flew from his mouth with each breath. One of the small ones suddenly lunged and the small flame became an inferno as the growlithe roared, fur bristling._

_Ember had never seen anything as fierce and utterly spell-binding. The blatant display of power inspired him to enter the fray himself, but he held back and though on his move. _There's about ten or twelve_, he thought, observing the pack. _If Ari uses thunderwave right in front, it might scare them enough that they'd run away to regroup.

_Upon further observation, the boy realized the large growlithe was powerful, but still weak enough to capture. _This could inspire him to trust me…

_Plan in place, he ordered Ari quietly to not bring attention to their exact location. _

_The pack thought for sure Arceus had rained down on them when the wall of blue lightning hid the large one from their view. Some of the growlithe had actually gotten hit by the attack, leaving them paralyzed on the ground while the others ran, yelping._

_Grinning at his triumph, Ember walked with a skip in his step into the clearing, only to stop in his tracks as the large growlithe snarled at him. That was when he made eye contact with the beasts bright blue eyes, and the world ceased moving._

"_Who are you!?" _

"_What?" Ember questioned the voice._

_Everything was bright and blue, and he was trapped in a haze where he could not move. Tiny bits of what looked like dying embers sat at his feet, smoldering. _

"_Why are you here?" the voice asked. "Are you here to hurt me, too?!" _

_The voice was rough and it sounded tired; exhausted, actually. The boy was fixated on the embers as they slowly burned blackened smoke. _

"_No…I'm not sure where 'here' is."_

_The voice seemed to be analyzing him; rather, the owner of the voice. _

"_In fact," he continued as he bent down, "I was trying to save a growlithe. He was special…like me."_

"…_Special?" the voice asked very softly._

"_Yes." He could sense he was making a headway. "He was so strong and brave; I wanted him to come with me and my friend. I wanted to give him a home."_

_He watched the embers glow soften into a deep orange, small sparks raising into the air. _

"_You would…give him a home?" the voice asked hesitantly. "You would…be his…friend?"_

"_What's your name?" Ember asked the glowing coals. "I'd like to know."_

_And the voice replied, "Shizu…"_

_The mist faded away just as a flame grew from the hot, glowing coals, and his vision cleared to see the injured growlithe sitting in front of him. The dog pokemon sniffed a few times before bending and licking Ember's hand. _

_Smiling, unsure what had transpired, the boy patted the growlithe's head. "Hello, Shizu."_

~X~

Unexpected Change

She watched as people passed her by, their noisiness and ugliness somehow lessened by the glittering of the buildings towering above them all. She liked watching people; she liked being in the center of their movement, the observer of constant chaos. She was used to being the calm, even enjoyed her role. But some…destroyed the eye of the storm she worked so hard to create. _That man…_

Charlotte shook her head of wandering thoughts. With a sigh, she leaned back against the bench; her typically straight posture slouched tiredly. She had been there since noon at least, and dusk was finally setting in. She'd never been a fan of Saffron and the bench was beginning to get very uncomfortable. Again, she found herself question her presence in the city; why on earth would she ever wait up for a man like Ember Dresden? The answer;

Rose.

Rose had the habit of making everyone want to make her happy. Charlotte had never met a woman, who seemed so sweet, as cunningly sneaky as her.

"_Lotte!" _

"_Yes?"_

"_Found another egg." It was said with a mischievous grin._

_Charlotte knew this would not bode well for her even as she asked, "Oh, how exciting. Do you think the trainer will be back for it soon?"_

"_Oh, this one doesn't have a trainer," the old woman said. "It's wild."_

_Being a relatively new volunteer, Charlotte was unaware what meaning this held. _

"_**You're**__ going to have to hatch it!" _

Thus Charlotte was sent to Saffron to check up on the Dresden man's progress and begin her own "journey." Honestly, she thought she was a bit old to travel the region and do the gym challenges; she decided she wouldn't bother with them. After Dresden showed up and she checked on the egg, the breeder was going to take a short trip to Fucshia to study some of the rare pokemon they kept in the safari. 

_Lovely time of the year to take a vacation,_ the brunette thought to herself as she allowed her eyes to fall closed.

~X~

It was a loud roar that awoke Charlotte with a start. It was dark now, except for the flashes of lightening and fire occurring too close for comfort.

She rolled to the side, landing on the ground by the flimsy metal bench as another buzz of energy flared before a _bang_ torn the ground apart not ten feet from her hiding place. She jumped, a short scream escaping from her lips. There were commands coming from several directions, punctuated by grunts of pain and the smell of burning hair and flesh. _Has a fire started? Or is it just a battle? Why are there so many at once? _The flashes of the attacks allowed Charlotte to glimpse those locked in battle fleetingly; frightened, partially masked visages, some shocked, some terrified beyond reality, while others simply grit their teeth and fists, attempting to hide the fear in their eyes.

_ROAR!_

The resonating sound punctuated a barrage of blue lightning as it rained down on the group of men dressed in black as they began to retreat. Amidst the cobalt lights, Charlotte caught the sight of a familiar luxray bearing her teeth at a nidorino as it limped away.

"_What the hell are you_!?"

She whipped her head at the scream to see one of the men scrambling toward a parked car, blood dripping from a cut on his forehead. His wide eyes were fixated on an approaching silhouette. One of the figures arms became visible as several pinpricks of light started from the shoulder and traveled down to its hand, the appendage now glowing an icy blue.

"N-No!" the man on the ground cried. "P-Please, don't come closer! We were just following orders! We didn't know-"

He was cut off with a yelp as the tall figure grabbed him by the front of his shirt and pulled him up, face to face. Its visage now lighted by the strange glove, Charlotte couldn't help her gasp.

"You didn't know," Ember snarled, his cultured accent making the words sound more menacing, "that you were being sent to your _death_?"

The man in his grasp went deathly pale, as if the words had incited the act. His hands went limp around Ember's wrist, no longer attempting to escape the steaming man's death grip. He gave up any resistance, accepting his fate with cold, paralyzing fear.

"Stop!" Charlotte cried as she jumped out from her hiding place. She stopped a few feet away from the men now looking at her, the one in black with hopeful surprise, and Ember with a disbelieving eyebrow raised. Fists clenched on her hips, she stared him down. "Stop. You won, Dresden; let him go before I call the police!"

Her last sentence was punctuated by a childish stomp of her foot, to which Ember had to restrain himself from rolling his eyes. Instead, he took one last look at the ninja who had had the gall to attack him. _It would be so easy_, he thought. The luxbane glowed with power. _But, _a voice from the back of his head chimed in, _you wouldn't want Miss. Meyer to see you like that. _

…That was new for him; a conscience in the dying heat of battle. Giovanni liked his merciless battle style, and he had accepted long ago that it was his trademark. He was tough, and dark, and mysterious. He wasn't meant to second-guess his first conclusions after strategy. Executive Ember was infallibly brutal in his attack. Gym leaders around the world knew that. So why was he halting now?

Sighing darkly, he dropped the ninja onto the pavement. The man landed with an 'oomph' and sat a moment in shock before hurriedly pulling himself up and sprinting away.

Charlotte, who had not expected him to actually listen to her, simply stared with her mouth agape as he approached. He did not stop in front of her, merely throwing her a mild glare as he passed her and offered Ari what looked like a sitrus berry. The luxray ate it willingly, and sat at her trainer's feet to clean her paws. Shizu materialized shortly after, looking a bit worse for wear compared to his catlike partner, but unhurt for the most part. Ember summoned him back into his pokeball.

She had not expected his absol to be part of the battle, but the young creature pranced into her line of vision and rubbed his head affectionately against Ember's knee. After a pat and what she thought was a ghost of a smile, Nawin was also returned to the ball on the dark man's belt. Immediately, the streetlights came on and the air seemed clearer; she realized the pokemon must have affected the battle atmosphere as a whole.

"Has no one ever told you that city streets are not to be played on after dark?" he spoke to her at last.

His demeaning tone snapped her out of her stupor and she bristled. "What?!" she shrieked. "The only reason I'm here is because of you. This is….this is your fault!" She crossed her arms over her chest.

Ember scoffed, mimicking her pose. "Oh? And why would you be looking for me?"

"Not because I want to!" she was quick to retort. She huffed. "Rose."

"…Oh." He felt silly now, like a little boy who had come to the wrong conclusion. To compensate, he stood straighter and asked coldly, "Well, what is it then? I have places to be."

"What, more innocent people to extort?" she threw back with a glare. "She just wanted a check in on the egg. She's probably afraid you'll sell it or something."

The twitch in his jaw came back with a vengeance. "It's right here." He pulled his bag out from under his long coat and snapped it open. "Satisfied?" he growled.

"Perfectly!" she snapped back.

"Fantastic," he retorted sarcastically and moved passed her.

"Good!" She began walking in the opposite direction.

However, before either of them could get further than three yards away from each other, Charlotte was suddenly grabbed and held against panting body, the sharp point of a throwing knife held against her throat.

Ember heard her yelp, and spun to face the man holding her hostage.

"S-Surrender!" the ninja threatened pathetically. He was obviously terrified. "Surrender to us, or she dies!"

A quick glance around showed they were alone and Ember had to wonder fleetingly what 'us' he was talking about. He had been abandoned by his team and stood alone against him. The man didn't actually hope to win, did he?

He didn't need to say a word; Ari struck the oblivious man with a quick jolt of lightning in the back of the head, knocking him unconscious. Charlotte jumped away from his prone body, shielding herself by running behind Ember. She shuffled away however when she saw his questioning eyebrow.

She cleared her throat. "So…Would you mind…walking me to Fuschia?" she asked with a

"Absolutely not." He continued walking, Ari moving to follow behind.

The luxray, too intelligent for her own good, noticed Charlotte's discomfort at being left alone in the dark. She decided Alpha could deal with one more added to their party, especially one weak like honey-smelling girl who had no hope of attacking him. Ari had concluded she like Honey-girl from the moment she had complimented her and Shizu, thus she nudged Honey-girl along to follow her and her trainer. Whether Alpha noticed her interference or not did not concern her; she knew what was best for him regardless of his personal feelings.

~X~

Charlotte, with hesitant steps, understood Ari's meaning and followed the dark duo all the way to Celadon. She caught the older man casting glances to her now and again, but kept silent, hoping he'd lead her somewhere she would be safe. She didn't have any exceptionally strong pokemon, something that had not concerned her before her recent attack; she'd never needed them before. She was more concerned with the health of her pokemon, and she was more apt to leave them at home in Johto or with other breeders and daycare centers she came across. _I just wanted to see the safari zone_, she couldn't help sighing. _I didn't want caught up in Team Rocket politics…I didn't really want an egg. I just wanted to see some new pokemon in their natural enviro-_ "Ooph!"

She realized too late that Ember had stopped in front of a hotel and was holding the door open for her expectantly; she had run into his chest. Flushing, she hurried into the building.

"You can get a room here for the night," Ember said stoically as he moved down the hall.

"Oh…thank you," she said quietly, his lack of emotion normalcy in her mind now. "But…what about you?"

He glanced over his shoulder as he opened a stairwell. "I'm going home."

It only took her a moment's hesitation to run after him after he shut the door behind him.

End Chapter

**AN:**

**Dun dun dun! Yea that's all I got ^^' Sorry! But you've got a bit of Charlotte in there, some first person omniscient (which I HATE writing in, by the way). Yes, Koga hates Ember **_**that **_**much. Weird, I know; how could anyone hate a snarky, overachieving douchebag like him?**

…

**Don't answer that…**

**REVIEW!**


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